Scripture:
Date: October 9, 2010
Speaker: Sean Higgins
The Christian life is simple. It’s hard, but not complex. Christians follow Jesus.
Our essential responsibilities revolve around second person of the Trinity, watching and learning from Jesus, loving and worshipping Him as God’s Son, then submitting and obeying everything He’s commanded. We follow Christ. In other words, we are His disciples.
Too often, however, Christ is not the center of Christian life but a tangent. We confuse weekly, religious routine for supernatural relationship. We schedule meetings instead of living life like Christ. We read books, take classes, create programs, organize or attend seminars, and publish podcasts rather than wearing Jesus’ yoke and learning from Him. Ironically, many good things intended to help us draw closer to Christ can potentially divert us away from Him.
Let me be super clear. For all my previous emphasis on the ground war and the personal parts of discipleship, I am so not against scheduled services and small groups. I love big books with small print about the Bible. I think we’re crazy not to ride the Internet and iPods to extend our ministry. But let’s not get so involved admiring the pattern on the plate that we forget the point of the plate is to carry the food.
When we miss the heart of the Christian life we inevitably mistake the simplicity of Christ’s commission, namely, to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). We follow our Lord and represent Him to the world. We work on His behalf, under His authority, and for the sake of His kingdom. And what has He charged us to do? Follow Him and help others follow Him. In other words, we are to make disciples.
To disciple means to guide or direct in someone to be a personal follower, student, or learner. A disciple not only studies from his master, he imitates him. Making a disciple involves (at the very least) teaching, modeling, steering, leading, escorting, and guiding. It requires hours, energy, and commitment. Group meetings (of the entire flock or in smaller segments) play a part, but disciple-making doesn’t happen without personal, “house to house” (Acts 20:20), one-on-one attention.
In barest form, making disciples means following Jesus by helping others follow Jesus. So where do we start and where do we go? Enter the Biblical Target of Discipleship , or the Biblical Bullseye.
This is not new. Nor is it a program. But this paradigm should shape every Christian’s approach to relationships, use of spiritual giftedness, and strategy for shepherding/making disciples. For my part I am eager to stir up disciples with a fresh reminder of Jesus’ long-established model of ministry.
Everyone—Where by “everyone” I mean everyone, believers and unbelievers—fits somewhere on this target.
Disciple-making starts here. This is the first and broadest circle on the target, meaning it encompasses the most people and is the initial step “to present every man complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Helping others follow Christ begins with Evangelizing .
The Bible reveals that the God who created everything (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3) is holy (1 Samuel 2:2; Joshua 24:19) and requires holiness from His creatures (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:15-16). But the first man, Adam, disobeyed God (Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 5:12, 15, 19) and every man since is born a sinner by nature (Ephesians 2:1-3) who disregards and defies God’s law (Romans 3:10-18, 23). The consequence of man’s rebellion is death—physical and spiritual (Genesis 2:15-17; Romans 5:12)—and there is nothing he can do to deliver himself (Job 14:4; Jeremiah 13:23; John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 2:14). That’s the bad news.
God offers forgiveness and righteousness for all who repent and believe (Acts 2:38; Romans 1:16). He sent His Son (John 3:16) to bear the punishment for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:4-6) on the cross (Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20; 2:14). Those who confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead will be saved (Romans 10:9-13). After conversion, God begins to deliver believers from the power of sin (Romans 6:6, 14, 17-18) and promises to conform them into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29-30) for eternal glory and fellowship with Himself. That’s the good news!
Proclaiming this gospel—evangelizing—is where disciple-making starts, and takes many different forms. For example, there is lifestyle evangelism (1 Peter 2:11-12); an implicit communication of the gospel. A Christian’s conduct should stand out in such a way that others see our good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:14-16). Our transformed lives (Romans 12:1-2) are to shine for Him and make others ask why we’re so hopeful (1 Peter 3:15-16).
However, a lifetime of lifestyle evangelism cannot communicate Jesus as Lord, the sin/death problem, and the cross/faith/salvation solution. Those truths require words. So evangelism proper must include verbal, explicit communication of the gospel. Why is it that the feet of those who bring good news (Romans 10:14-15) are so praiseworthy? Because “faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans10:17; cf. James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25). Therefore the gospel must be clearly stated or a person cannot become a disciple.
Jesus obviously expected us to start with evangelism since He commissioned us to make disciples from all the unbelieving people groups (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). So this broad target is determined by the King Himself. To this outer circle on our bullseye we model and proclaim the gospel. We desire men everywhere to believe the gospel. That involves more than getting someone to pray a prayer. We want them to meet and know Christ, to identify with Him and have intimacy with Him, and to learn to observe everything He’s commanded.
In other words, we want regeneration (cf. John 3:5-7). The people in this outer circle are spiritually dead. We proclaim the gospel and pray that God will create new life. This is where we start in our disciple-making and shepherding.
One of the reasons I’ve spent so much time on this is because evangelism is just as important in our churches and small groups as it is to the nations. John MacArthur painted this stark picture:
Our main mission field in America today is within the church. (Hard to Believe, 101)
Our congregations include crowds of spiritually dead people, after all, the wheat and tares mix (cf. Matthew 13:24-30) until Christ’s coming. So churches need to evangelize. Small group leaders can’t take gospel belief for granted. Personal disciplers shouldn’t assume anything at the start. If you don’t want bare spots in your lawn, every part of the yard needs to be covered equally and evenly with seed. Likewise, we must broadcast the gospel thoroughly and individually. That is the first step toward Christlikeness and therefore the first target level of discipleship.
On a personal note, perhaps nothing is more frustrating in disciple-making then trying to help a person follow Christ when they don’t truly know Christ. No one bypasses this level of the bullseye. Never suppose anyone’s salvation, always and carefully evaluate their spiritual condition. Then we help those who are ready move to the second level.
This second circle on the target represents the next step to present every man complete in Christ. Helping others follow Christ moves from Evangelizing to Edifying .
Discipleship begins at regeneration when God creates new life in a spiritually dead person (John 3:5-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1-5; 1 Peter 1:3). From the human perspective this is called conversion as we recognize repentance (Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2;25-26) and belief (Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 1:29) as God’s work. But conversion isn’t the goal of the Great Commission. Christ did not call us to make converts who sit around and wait for heaven. Conversion is simply the start.
The goal is Christlikeness, persons made into the image of Christ so that they can enjoy fellowship with the Father as the Son does. So instruction in truth, training for obedience, and encouragement toward Christlikeness—edifying—is how disciple-making continues. To edify means to build up, to strengthen, to develop and improve. So we labor not only for others to profess Christ as Lord but to walk in a manner worthy of their Lord (cf. Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12). 1
One of the most explicit summons to edification is Ephesians 4:12-16. Every Christian does the work of the ministry for the purpose of
building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
The emphasis is on building up (vv. 12, 16), maturing (vv. 13, 15), and strengthening (v. 14). The disciple-making job isn’t finished until everyone (“we all,” “the whole body,” “each part”) reaches the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. So until God glorifies us at our death or at Christ’s return, there is building of the Body to do.
We instruct and encourage =those in this second circle on our bullseye for the sake of their spiritual growth. We want every believer to live the gospel. We train disciples to obey Christ, studying the life of Jesus and then following in His steps (1 Peter 2:21). The New Testament spills over with descriptions of this ever-progressing Christian life: observing everything Christ commanded (Matthew 28:20), becoming complete/mature/perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28), being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), attaining to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13), and growing up in every way into Christ (Ephesians 4:15).
One additional label for this process is sanctification, a term that describes the widening separation from sin and intensifying consecration for God that should mark every disciple in this target level. It applies to all believers and remains our objective until the end. Christians are saved from the penalty of sin and sanctified from the power of sin. Therefore, making disciples requires not only evangelizing, but edifying.
On a practical note, small groups are a great place to help one another cultivate Christlikeness. They are like a sturdy crock for stirring one another up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25), keeping everyone in the pot until all the necessary ingredients are mixed in. In the edifying process we will meet (or make) those who are ready to move on to the third level.
Disciple-making ends (and begins again) here. This center circle on the target represents the third step to present every man complete in Christ. Helping others follow Christ advances from Evangelizing to Edifying to Equipping .
Spiritual birth and spiritual growth toward Christlikeness mark every disciple. One of the clearest signs of increased spiritual maturity is that the disciple is capable of reproducing, that is, making a disciple of their own. Not only is this an important sign of health, it is necessary for fulfilling the Great Commission in coming generations as well as among all the nations.
Therefore, training—equipping—others to reproduce themselves is the final level of disciple-making. To equip means to prepare, to train, to furnish someone with tools necessary to accomplish a task. For those in this center circle on our bullseye we train and reproduce. By instruction, example, delegation, and critique the discipler equips the disciple to disciple someone else.
God gives leaders to the church for this very reason: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-12). But note that while pastors initiate and oversee the process, the work of the ministry is done by the saints. In other words, disciples make disciples who make disciples “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:13). Pastors/elders and Bible study/small group leaders should be the first disciplers but never the only disciplers.
The center of the bullseye is the smallest circle because it typically includes the fewest number of people. In fact, this target level is aimed at the faithful, those who can be entrusted with passing on truth to others “who will be able to teach others” after them.
2 Timothy 2:1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
While we want everyone to end up here eventually, disciple-making requires us to focus on the few, faithful followers to reach the many in the outer circles.
Equipping is probably the weakest sphere for most churches, including churches with sound doctrine. Equipping certainly includes solid teaching in big church but it involves much more than that. We don’t expect our children to mature by handing them a book to read; is it different for spiritual children? Disciples don’t learn to take responsibility from a distance, so making disciples from the platform or sermon mp3s is only a small part of the process. Jesus modeled for us at least five stages of development with His disciples (which we’ll consider in the next session). Suffice to say for now, each stage involved more than relaying a message, it involved imparting His very life.
The Great Commission sets our sights high; we are to make disciples of all the nations . The apostle Paul also emphasized the broad scope of his ministry, teaching every man and warning every man in order to present every man complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28). Everyone falls in one of the three circles on our disciple-making bullseye. Either they are spiritually dead and need the gospel, they have been made spiritually alive and need to grow in the gospel, or they have demonstrated faithfulness and are ready to do the work of the gospel. But everyone is somewhere on the target.
The target may represent an entire country, a city, a local church, a particular ministry within a church, a small group within a ministry, your neighborhood, the supermarket, your office, or your own kids. Each sphere includes those who need salvation or sanctification and training for ministry.
Do you see how this target requires Christians to make judgments about the spiritual condition and maturity of others? If we are to teach and admonish one another (Colossians 1:28, 3:16) until every one of us are complete in Christ, then we must evaluate how our disciple is not yet like Christ and help him/her in that direction. If making a disciple requires our disciple to make another disciple, then we need to determine what our disciple needs for sake of reproduction. If your kids are five, but you’re desperate for grandkids, doesn’t that change what you focus on?
This is a practical reason why discipleship is personal, because we are presenting individual persons to God, each of whom have their own strengths and spiritual giftedness, as well as their own weaknesses and sins they may struggle with. We’re not cutting cookies.
Of course it is possible for us to be judgmental, but making judgments is part of the discipleship job. Humility does not keep us from evaluating others, it keeps us from being jerks, and from holding others to standards of growth that we aren’t pursuing, and from acting like we’ve “already obtained this or [are] already perfect,” failing to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).
”Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” “When each part is working properly” then “the body grows so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). Even though not all of our relationships within the Body are discipleship relationships, all of our interactions can shoot toward the target.
So here’s a recap of the three target levels:
Also, please note that this is not an issue of spiritual giftedness. Discipleship—evangelizing, edifying, and equipping—is not a gift. Discipleship is what you do while your using your speaking or serving gift.
As I mentioned, in the church, I believe disciple-making is best facilitated by some form of small groups. Though you can be discipled or make a disciple without being part of a one, small groups provide a place for thorough and incisive evangelism, for accountability relationships and mutual edification, as well as for quality (controlled) equipping and an obvious place to practice the “focus on the few to reach the many” principle.
On another practical note, you can always find someone who knows less than you do. So get in someone’s back pocket who knows more than you and then pass that on to someone else. That’s what it means to make disciples: follow Christ and equip others to follow Him.
Remember, we plant and water, God gives growth.
Jesus is the ultimate example of making disciples. He not only paints the target but demonstrates how to reach it. In the upcoming session we’ll see the developmental process that will help us hit the center of the disciple-making bullseye.
This is part of the reason spiritual accountability among Christians is so important. ↩